Calif. sanctuary say killer elephant still welcome

California sanctuary owner says elephant that killed New Zealand zookeeper is still welcome
By The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) ' The owner of a California sanctuary says an African elephant is still welcome after killing the zookeeper who was preparing to move it from New Zealand.

Pat Derby's Performing Animal Welfare Society in San Andreas was going to be home to the elephant now called Mila but known as Jumbo for 30 years in a circus.

Derby said Thursday there may be ownership problems. Mila had been at the Franklin Zoo near Auckland while zoo owner Helen Schofield worked to place her. Derby says she and Schofield had been working on the move for two years.

Schofield was training Mila how to live in a crate during the trip. She told Derby a month ago it was going well.

Schofield was crushed to death Wednesday when Mila picked her up in its trunk and lifted her off ground.